IHPC-1, Internet Help Sheet for PCs                                    Page 1
 
This help sheet  addresses the question of  using the Internet from  IBM PCs,
IBM PS/2s, and compatible personal computers at Syracuse University.  It does
not tell you step-by-step how to use the Internet from a PC:  rather it gives
you some general information including where to get further directions.
 
The  Internet is  a world-wide  cooperative network  that includes  NYSERNet,
ARPANET,   NSFnet  and  various  networks   on  Syracuse  University  campus.
Computers on  the Internet can exchange  electronic mail with  other Internet
computers, transfer files to or from other Internet computers and can sign-on
to and use other Internet computers interactively.
 
If Your PC is not on the Internet
 
A PC  is only  "on the Internet"  if it  is directly attached  to one  of the
Ethernet LANs which  make up the Syracuse University Internet.    Most PCs on
the Syracuse  University Campus  are not.   In  particular,  PCs  in Academic
Computing Services' "PC Clusters" are not  on the Internet.   To use Internet
services from PCs that are not on the  Internet,  you need Kermit and a modem
(or some other method of connecting to the ACS mainframes)  and authorization
to use one of ACS's mainframes.   With this,   you can log on to one of ACS's
mainframes and  follow its  procedure for  using the  Internet.   Other  help
sheets deal with using Kermit,  signing on to mainframes,  and using Internet
services from the mainframes.
 
Putting Your PC on the Internet
 
To put your PC on the Internet,  your PC must be wired to the Internet,  your
PC needs a  special hardware option to attach  it to the wire,   and you need
special internet software.
 
Network Connection:   At Syracuse University, only a LAN (Local Area Network)
can connect your PC to the Internet, and only one particular type of LAN:  an
Ethernet.   These do  not extend off campus,   and even on campus,   are only
available in some  of the buildings.   If  your PC is on  campus,  check with
Computing & Network Services to see  whether such network service is feasible
to your PC and other details.
 
Hardware:   There are several Ethernet communications adapters for PCs.   You
must  make  sure that  the  adapter  that  you  choose is  supported  by  the
particular internet software package that you plan to use.
 
Software:   There are several internet software  packages for PCs.   Each has
advantages and Syracuse  University has not chosen any  particular package to
recommend.   There are  two principle "nearly public-domain"  packages:   SU-
PC/IP Version  3.1 from  Stanford University;   and NCSA  Telnet for  the PC,
Version  2.2  from National  Center  for  Supercomputer Applications  at  the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Both packages include manuals to
help you install and use them.
 
Both offer TELNET (remote login)  and FTP (remote file transfer)  capability.
Since  there  are  problems  asking   other  Internet  computers  to  deliver
electronic  mail to  Personal  Computers,  the  normal  way  to use  Internet
electronic mail is to  sign on to one of the  mainframes.   SU-PC/IP offers a
special mail  utility which will automatically  copy mail sent to  your RODAN
username to your PC,  allowing you to read and send mail without ever signing
on to the Mainframes.
 
Installing  either package  requires some  information  specific to  Syracuse
 
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IHPC-1, Internet Help Sheet for PCs                                    Page 2
 
University,  some specific to the Ethernet LAN to which your PC is connected,
and some information specific to your computer.  Syracuse University Internet
Host  Administrator's Guide  from  Syracuse  University Computing  &  Network
Services outlines the information necessary to do this including the Syracuse
University-wide  information  and  a  list  of  what  other  information  the
installer needs to get.
 
If Your PC is on the Internet
 
We defer  to the  user documentation  provided with  the particular  software
packages.   The commands to do file transfer and remote login are very likely
to be similar to those used on mainframes such as SUVM, SUNRISE, and RODAN.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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